Accelerating Action: Women of Populo on International Women's Day 2025
Posted 08 March 2025
This year, International Women’s Day arrives at a pivotal moment. It kicks off British Science Week - a time to celebrate innovation and inclusion - and follows Women in Construction Week, which this year champions the theme 'Together We Rise'. With construction remaining a largely male-dominated field, we're taking the opportunity to highlight the day-to-day impact women are making at Populo Living.
To get a real sense of what it’s like working in construction and housing development, we spoke to four women making waves in the sector: Clare Neilson, Project Manager; Stefanie Dietrich, Assistant Project Manager; Avril Branche, Building Safety and Compliance Manager; and Eve Ladden Timbers, Senior Planning Programme Manager. They shared their experiences, challenges, and advice for those looking to break into the industry.
Women remain significantly underrepresented in construction, making up a mere 15% of the UK workforce in the sector, with only 1% working in site-based manual roles. Senior leadership is still overwhelmingly male, with women holding just 7% of executive positions. For many, these barriers are compounded by the intersection of gender and ethnicity, creating even greater challenges for those who face both gender and racial disparities in their careers, with workers from BAME backgrounds accounting for just 5.4% of the industry. These numbers reflect deep-rooted barriers and attitudes that continue to hinder career progression for women in the industry.
Yet, research has repeatedly shown that diverse teams outperform their less diverse counterparts, and at Populo Living, we know that diversity drives our ability to build homes and deliver services that better reflect and serve our communities here in Newham.
For the women shaping the built environment, work is about more than just bricks and mortar - it’s about creating spaces that make a genuine difference to people’s daily lives. One of the biggest rewards? Seeing the impact of their work. Whether it’s witnessing families move into new homes, walking past a development and thinking, “I did that”, or watching communities interact with newly built spaces, the sense of achievement is undeniable.
For many, it’s also about inspiring the next generation. Having young girls see their mothers, aunts, and role models on-site, making decisions, and shaping the future of Newham’s landscape challenges outdated perceptions of who belongs in construction.
Despite progress, women in construction still encounter old-fashioned assumptions. One of the most common? That they’re better suited to administrative roles or can’t handle the physical demands of the job.
“I was on-site moving boxes to stage a flat when a contractor said, ‘Let me help you with that, love, probably can’t lift something that heavy.’ Believe me, I made a point to lift twice as many.”
Women in the sector are proving time and time again that the ability to succeed isn’t about fitting into outdated stereotypes - it’s about skill, knowledge, and resilience. And often, it’s about challenging misconceptions head-on and refusing to be underestimated.
Climbing the ranks in a male-dominated industry isn’t just about having the right skills - it’s about confidence, strategy, and building the right support system.
One woman stressed the importance of asking questions and challenging assumptions. “You don’t need to be an expert at everything. You just need to know who the experts are and not be afraid to ask questions.”
Mentorship and networking also play a key role. “The graduates you meet now will be the directors and CEOs of the future. Invest in those connections.”
One of the most persistent myths? That having children limits career progression.
“People say after maternity leave, your career direction changes. But more and more women are proving that’s not true - we’re excelling at every stage.”
When it comes to career development, the advice is clear: be adaptable. “There’s no right career move but there are smart ones. Seize opportunities and make time to go back and study if your discipline requires it. Don’t rely on just experience, education is one thing no one can take from you.”
For those entering the field, the women we spoke to had this advice:
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Be yourself. Don’t compromise your values to fit in, your differences allow you to bring something new to the table.
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Ask questions. No one knows everything, success is a sum of many parts, and confidence grows with knowledge.
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Challenge assumptions. The industry is evolving – so never assume anything – ever!
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Network. You never know how the relationships you build today will shape your future.
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Find your reason. Whether it’s making your family proud, witnessing a project in use, or supporting a new tenant into their dream home - hold on to the things that make it worthwhile.
This IWD, we celebrate the women who continue to challenge assumptions and break barriers in construction and housing development, who are paving the way for a sector where gender is irrelevant to success, and equality is woven into the fabric of the industry.